Heat Wave
by Arcticwaters
Summary: But that was the thing with them. Wherever Axel was, Larxene was never too far behind. There seemed to be an unspoken connection between the two no one understood, but acknowledged. Larxel.


I like to think of this piece as setting up my own head-canon for Organization XIII. My goal is to have another story that focuses on the various moments this story implies; most of my other KH fics will be based on this as well.

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts (c) Square Enix and Disney

* * *

Ranking within the Organization was certainly a rather serious issue for the seniors; but when it came to the neophytes, it was more of a matter of a simple back hand. Though they followed the idea that each member had control over any and all members under them, they were much more likely to mingle with each other without argue.

The unofficial leader of the neophytes was Axel, Number Eight. While Saix, the first of the "newbies," should have filled this role, he considered himself much too mature, and much of the Organization allowed him to group himself with the seniors (though there were times when he joined them for "Neophyte parties"; usually against his will.) And of course there had to be a second in command.

But for the neophytes, this position happened to be filled by the newest member, Number Twelve. None of them really knew or understood how the lowest member had taken an "Alpha female" role within the second sublevel of the groups. One theory had to do with the fact that she was the only girl; that in itself gave her her own separation. Though most believed it was because she was just too feisty to stay down, and _keeping_ her down either ended in pouting or stabbing. She even picked fights with many of the higher members; nearly all of them resulted in Axel having to save her ass.

But that was the thing with them. Wherever Axel was, Larxene was never too far behind. Maybe she was his "partner in crime" because he wanted her there. He was really the only one she did not feel the need to brutally stab or fry (though Marly and later Roxas and Naminé were safe as well.) There seemed to be an unspoken connection between the two no one understood, but acknowledged; one that may have started because he'd been the one to find her in the first place.

---

Axel had been patrolling the streets of The World That Never Was when he noticed a shadowed figure in a nearby ally way, and decided to investigate. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, he was turning to leave when pain ripped through his shoulder. He found himself impaled with a blue and yellow dagger, but then it was gone in a flash of light. He looked up, wondering if he'd be able to see his attacker, and was mildly surprised to find a blonde female in front of him. He guessed that she was a Nobody, as the probability of finding any other creature in this World was unlikely; but before he could further ponder about her, he had to duck out of the way of more kunai.

Naturally, he had to retaliate.

Chakram and kunai clashed in a flurry of fire and lightning; the weapons would lock together, and power bursts of elements would separate them, and they'd rush at each other is another futile attempt to override the other. After a dozen or so tries, they stood at opposites ends, stopping to catch their breath. Both stood surveying the other, when the silence was finally broken by the female lashing out again. But this time he was able to find an advantage, and he managed to throw her against the ally wall, pinning her by the shoulders.

She struggled violently, sending electricity up his arm, but he kept his grip. After some time, she stopped fighting, and they both stood there panting a bit; Axel took this chance to give her a once over. Her fighting methods were almost unnecessarily savage, and he concluded that she must have just recently lost her heart; he remembered feeling confused and angry when he first became a Nobody, as well as the need to basically just kill something.

But he'd hardly seen skills like hers. The three other newbies he'd watched join had to train daily just to get to this level. Although she was calm now, she was glaring back at him, and the steady pulse of static charge through his arm told him that she wasn't letting her guard down.

"So little speedy one… What would you say to getting your heart back?"

---

Axel brought the female Nobody (who was quiet now, and willingly following him; though her weapons were still out) to Xemnas, to seek his approval, like with any new potential member. The Superior was initially surprised that the Nobody was female, but Axel assured him that she'd be as good as any male.

The female must have become bored by this point, for suddenly her knifes were out again and thrown at Xemnas. He dodged them easily by simply shifting to one side, and stared in mild bewilderment at the Nobody. Number Eight now had to hold her by the arms in a death grip as she struggled wildly.

"See? What'd I tell you? She just took _you_ on!"

The female broke free (or maybe Axel let her go) and made another run for the taller Nobody, kunai held like claws.

"_Guard!_"

She ricocheted off the sudden force field with a yelp, flying backwards and colliding with Axel, sending them both to the floor.

"She stays." was all Xemnas said as he walked through a smoky black and purple portal and was gone.

Both just stared after him, the female holding an expression of confusion, as though she no longer remembered where she was.

"I think that went pretty well, huh Sparky?" Axel said almost playfully to the dazed Nobody.

---

The counter attack seemed to have knocked some sense into the female (now known as Larxene, the Savage Nymph), as she was now talking and didn't randomly attack anything that moved. Although she was willing to pick a fight with someone. One of her favorite places was the Castle's arena, where small tournaments were occasionally held; but normally it was merely used for training. She spent most of her time here, quickly learning which members she should avoid, and who should avoid her (Demyx, in particular. Lightning against water was usually one sided.) If she wasn't in the arena, she was in the library. If she wasn't there, she was somewhere with Axel.

Over the course of the few weeks that she had been in the Organization, Larxene and Axel found themselves steadily growing closer. Neither of them really knew why this happened, as neither consciously tried to get to know the other. But once she'd gotten a name, title, and free roam of the castle, they always found themselves in the company of the other.

Some of the members that cared enough to take notice figured it was because Axel was the first one she met (possibly even the first non-threatening creature she met once becoming a Nobody), so she simply just felt more comfortable around him. Marluxia (who she'd also made friends with) was the only one willing to question Larxene's motives, but simply didn't care enough to. When they asked Axel, he simply smirked and said,

"I like her spunk."

---

Their "relationship" started with chance meetings in the Library. He teased her every so often about her taste in books, but she could tell he meant no harm. And she mocked him right back, about anything she could. They'd fallen into a habit in which, once they were bored with the Library, they'd simply roam the hallways together, or one would walk the other to their room.

And this was how they spent their time, when there was no mission or battles going on. The Library was a good place to have time for themselves (and sometimes Demyx joined them, but he wasn't very fond of a place with just _books_). Well, that is until Luxord had taken over for a poker game. The two had left once the striping started; Larxene went to her room, and Axel went to go mess with Demyx.

The next morning, Larxene had barged into his room with one of her sadistic books, took over his bed, and started reading. She's draped herself over him, and he stared at her with an eyebrow raised.

"Must you?"

"Yes."

"Alright then."

They loosely called each other "friends" ever since.

This arrangement became a daily thing for the two of them. They'd lay on his bed reading, discussing, or chatting about nothing in particular. Larxene would almost always drape herself across him in some way, or just next to him. Neither of them would let the other know the degree of affection they felt for the other, but they caught glimpses of it in different ways: when Axel subconsciously ran his hand down her back or through her hair while talking; or when Larxene got so comfortable around him that she fell asleep.

---

For Axel, an awareness of the level of odd fondness he held for her came in the form of battle. He'd fought her many other times after their first in the ally, and no matter who won, he always craved more. He found himself provoking her just to get her to throw a kunai or summon lightning. Something about fighting her was different from fighting any other member. And it wasn't just when against each other. They happened to be a formidable challenge in a tournament when partnered together. At times, what started as a brawl ended as a new tag team strategy. With her, throwing fire and metal brought on not the determination of defeating the opponent, but having fun with the battle and not caring who won (but he was also one of the few members not afraid to hit her with all he had).

And he had no idea why he felt this way; nor that she felt the same. That when starting a riot between them, she always seemed willing to draw it out until forced to stop. That the rising temperatures and rushing of hot air never failed to thrill her. That she liked being his partner as much as he did.

It wasn't until Xemnas was holding another makeshift tournament that they came across what might have been an answer. Upon seeing Axel and Larxene were not only battling against each other, but also selected as a team, Demyx had whined:

"Oh no, not those two! The place becomes a major drought once they get started!"

* * *

My apologizes if that was a rather abrupt ending, but I couldn't think of any other way to end. One of my favorite things about the Larxel pairing is that both Axel and Larxene use some form of heat, and that idea is kinda what this fic is based on.

Review if you wish x3


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